‘Tis the season!Once a year our physical mailboxes get more attention than our email inboxes. Here come the Christmas cards!Oh, the dilemmas! Do we send a picture? Should it include us or just the kids? (Really, does everyone need to know about those extra 10 pounds?) Do we look happy enough? Do we look too happy? How much do we say? What about our struggles? Our accomplishments? How do we sum a year in a card?We sent my favorite card ever ten years ago—before the digital era (and the … [Read more...]

Twenty Sunday school students sit in rapt attention as I roll out the Advent story. The script, the candles, the materials - they draw us in. As we get ready to hear the story of the Holy Family, the story for the second week of Advent, I say: The church learned long ago that it takes time to enter a mystery like Christmas. They gave us four weeks to get ready. During that time, we are all on a journey. A journey that was not just back then. It's now too. Sometimes it's hard to enter a mys … [Read more...]

There are the “Yes, ma’am” moms, and then there are the rest of us. (Do you ever get the feeling I’m here to make you feel good about your parenting? I’m happy to provide this service for you.) My ears perk up when I hear a kid answer, “Yes, ma’am.” Their mom has it going on. Their dad is in this parenting marathon. This kid probably does chores, without grumbling. Probably adores his grandparents. Probably looks out for siblings. Probably works for his spending money. Probably plays vi … [Read more...]

“Do you have your phone and your iPod, Christopher? I asked while we got off the plane. He shook his head as he mumbled an exasperated, “Yes, Mom”.Often, my thirteen year-old leaves stuff behind - a jacket at a friend’s house, a soccer ball on the field, a book in his school locker, homework at home or an iPod on the plane…which makes his exasperation at my question so very ironic. Also, my children have an uncanny tendency to get sick on trips or pre-trip – we’ve had chicken pox, ear infec … [Read more...]

William, our nine year-old has hated school for two years.He’s this sparkly, funny, creative, curious, energetic, athletic and impish kid. But, every school day he’d say, “she’s just going to put me on the rug (time-out area)”, “she doesn’t like me”, “I’m scared she’s going to send me to the principal’s office”, “school is so boring - do I have to go” or “school is so dumb, you don’t learn anything for real life.”Now, I’m fully aware he’s no piece of cake to manage…but it broke my heart. … [Read more...]

Zach insisted this fall that we sign him up for the more competitive, traveling soccer team. He lives to play soccer, and I assumed that he wanted to challenge himself against the best players. Halfway through the season, though, he lamented that the travel team wasn't as great as he thought it would be."But you love your team, you’re getting so much better, and you're in first place. What's the problem?" I asked."I thought there was carpooling.""What?""I thought that if you we … [Read more...]

I've gained exactly 19.5 pounds since we started homeschooling last year. Which is why I very nearly turned down the offer to write for this site.It wasn't because I have nothing to say. I nearly always have something to say - just ask me. And it wasn't because I'm too busy to write. Writing is an important discipline for me. I need to write.Instead, I almost said no because of the head shot. You see, each contributor needs to submit a glam shot of her head for her profile page. For … [Read more...]

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Some of us are moms and others are not. We live alone, with roommates or in all kinds of families in different parts of the world. Some of us earn a paycheck, others stay home with the kids and some manage both. We are deeply faithful, apathetic toward religion or fall somewhere in between. Despite the differences, we’re bound by the fact we’re all thoughtful women navigating and juggling the current complicated issues of the world. Won’t you join us as we explore this crazy and wonderful life together?